Not everyone is born with leadership; it is a skill that can be learned and developed, just like any other. It’s important to realize that a leader’s effectiveness is also impacted by the level of influence and support they receive from their team.
Never assume that just because you are in a leadership role, your coworkers will automatically take your lead and value your opinions. Your immediate supervisor already has your back since they hired you. Your peers, direct reports, and coworkers must all support you.
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These seven leadership abilities, traits, and qualities may be embraced by anybody hoping to progress in their career or transition from a role that requires individual contributions to one that requires leadership.
1. Thank you, recognize, and give credit.
Prominent leaders publicly express thanks and appreciation for the successes of their team members. Making kind remarks and expressing appreciation for the work of fellow team members aid in the creation of a positive work atmosphere.
To be inspired to work to the best of their ability, employees need to feel that they are moving in the right direction and that their efforts will be appreciated. Find ways to acknowledge and celebrate your team’s successes, even if it’s only with a “well done.”
Proceed methodically and consistently. Giving compliments on small things and on a regular basis might come off as false and even demotivate individuals.
2. Paying close attention
After leaving Apple in 1985, the late Steve Jobs claimed to have returned as a more capable and modest leader; former Apple CEO John Scully ascribed a lot of this to Jobs’ enhanced listening abilities.
Setting guidelines and using novel approaches to manage various work procedures are crucial, but it’s as critical to take a step back and pay attention to your team. A effective leader has to be aware of what is going on with their team and the business in order to make informed decisions.
Being a great leader requires being an excellent communicator, and effective communicators are attentive. Effective leaders are proactive, insightful listeners. Being an active listener requires keeping eye contact, never interrupting, and utilizing nonverbal cues like nodding to show that you are paying attention. Employees want to be heard, not ignored or worse, patronized.
3. Make use of efficient communication
Possessing the capacity to communicate clearly, concisely, and tactfully is essential for effective leadership. Effective communication involves more than just paying close attention to what others are saying and responding appropriately.
It also involves dispelling myths, asking insightful questions, seeking feedback and creative ideas, exchanging perceptive information, and being transparent about your objectives. Additionally, the most successful leaders utilize communication to energise, support, and boost team members’ confidence.
4. Show commitment
Nobody likes to work for or with a noncommittal boss or team. You have the ability to foster the type of camaraderie that distinguishes a great team from a poor one as a leader. A committed leader is more likely to gain the respect of their team. Most importantly, being dedicated maintains a strong sense of team spirit.
5. Admit your mistakes
Achieving success requires failure, which is why effective leaders welcome it as an opportunity for growth. It is helpful to recognize your moments of failure, whether they are individual or group obstacles, as it motivates your team to advance.
Your team may find it easier to accept failure if you communicate how every experience has helped you improve and if you are transparent about your missteps.
6. Make an investment in the group’s future.
Workers require a well-defined plan for growing in their careers. A capable leader arranges for their direct reports’ advancement within the company and provides them with chances to assume leadership positions. By giving their team members the chance to develop, earn their respect, and be recognized for their outstanding work, leaders may invest in their team members.
Team members are empowered and given a stress-free atmosphere in which to practice leadership when they are given opportunities for low-risk, entry-level leadership. Demand innovation from them, hold them to high standards, and encourage their ingenuity. Give your staff clear objectives and deadlines, as well as the freedom and authority to decide how the work is accomplished.
These options might be as simple as setting up team-building activities or leading a meeting, which can greatly increase the confidence of your team. By these exercises, you may also provide them feedback on their leadership abilities.
7. Adopt a sympathetic attitude
It is challenging to quantify empathy. Understanding events from the viewpoint of workers with different organizational levels of seniority and how their actions impact other members of the organization are key components of empathy. It also suggests that the leader has the capacity to see beyond in order to inspire, encourage, and uplift employees at all levels.
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need of empathy in a work environment. It stressed the requirement of compassionate leadership and showed how encouraging open and honest communication between managers and their subordinates has a direct impact on workplace culture. A compassionate boss creates a psychologically safe environment where employees feel at ease discussing delicate topics.